Backstrom is 35, so three years may be one too many, in vacuum—but options for teams looking to upgrade goaltending are slim, and even more so with Bernier in Toronto. Minnesota was one of three reported finalists for the Kings' former backup. Fleury, given his history of playoff meltdowns, is an even bigger risk.

The goaltending market is so thin, in fact, that Backstrom likely left money on the table to stay with the Wild. Mike Smith is the only pending free agent with relevant starting experience, and he's likely to be overpaid, considering reports that he's seeking more than $6 million annually.

Backstrom was 24-14-2 last season for Minnesota with a .909 save percentage and 2.48 goals-against. Those numbers are skewed a bit by Backstrom's heavy workload, particularly when backup Josh Harding adjusted to his MS medication.